Eurocentric views, Treaties and Residential Schools Wiki
Welcome to the Eurocentric views, Treaties and Residential Schools Wiki The discussion of how Eurocentric views and Treaties played a part in the Development of Residential Schools in Canada. Describe your topic In this Wiki we are discussing and providing information on the real aspects of Canadian history. Looking at the influence of Eurocentric views, their difference to Indigenous views and how they, along with treaties, influenced the development of Residential Schools. Eurocentric Worldviews vs Indigenous Worldviews A worldview is a set of principles, ethics, beliefs and values held by an individual or a group of people. It entails how the individual or group views and interacts with the world around them. Worldviews are usually passed on from parents to children and can be changed depending on one’s surroundings. Indigenous peoples of North America have a different view of the world from the Europeans. They view the world as a whole with humans as part of an interconnection between all the elements of nature. On the other hand, the world from a euro-centred perspective is more individual and independence based with humans having control over other elements of nature. NOTE: This reports a general perspective of the Indigenous peoples of North America but it is important to note that each Indigenous group has their own unique worldviews. Differences between Indigenous and Eurocentric Worldviews Indigenous people believe in communal living between all elements of nature-such as humans, animals, plants, land, water and even the spirits. They believe in the inter-connectedness of all the elements and that we are all related, equal and should be treated with respect. On the other hand, the Europeans believe in the independence of these elements with man being at the top of the food-chain and having control over every other thing. Indigenous people believe that the animals, plants, land and water are gifts given to us by nature and must be treated respectfully. They also believe that whenever you take something from nature, you have to give something back in return. They see themselves more as stewards of the land than owners. Hence, the lesson is to never take excessively and to give back to the earth whenever you take from it. From a euro-centred perspective, it is within man’s God-given right to do as he pleases to the earth’s resources. In terms of knowledge, Indigenous people believe that teaching and learning go hand-in-hand while Europeans believe that learners can never be teachers and teachers can never be learners. In terms of resources, Indigenous people believe in using their resources extensively. They never take more than they need and are never wasteful. They manage their resources responsibly and believe in sharing. From a euro-centred perspective, humans are always in competition for nature’s limited resources for their own personal benefits. Indigenous people also do not believe that there is just one single truth. They believe that there is not just one, but many truths depending on one’s experiences. In an Indigenous setting, no person’s opinion is considered to be greater than another person’s opinion. Instead, different opinions are put into consideration until a consensus is made. On the other hand, Europeans believe that there can only be one truth (usually one that has been scientifically proven). They believe in a centralized self and the superiority of their own thoughts and opinions over that of others. What is a Treaty A Treaty is a formally concluded and confirmed agreement between states. indigenous Treaties are formal recognized agreement between the indigenous people of Canada and the Queen. Treaties have different meanings to different people, groups, communities, states ad nations. In Canada, an indigenous definition of Treaty is deferent from the Crown definition. To an indigenous person its more than just binding documents and paper, but the words said during the negotiation process as they value words more than documents. They believe in the exchange of gifts like the wampum and occasionally host a celebration to celebrate the new treaty. To the Crown it is legal binding document that creates a bond between them and the Indigenous people of the land. History of Treaty Ever since the 18th century, the Canadian government has gone into a number of treaties with the indigenous people of Canada (Turtle island). Canada was formed based on treaties. The first ever treaty was the Royal Proclamation in the year 1763 by King George III between the indigenous people and the Crown which established the constitutional foundation of Canada. It was after reviewed in 1982 and became the Constitutional Act. History of Residential Schools The main goals of Residential Schools were to isolate the Indigenous children from their homes, their language, culture and traditions and to integrate them into the European society and European culture. The reason behind it was a thought by Europeans that Indigenous people were savage, and unequal to Europeans. Residential schools were operated in Canada between 1879 and 1996 with partnership of Catholic, Anglican, Methodist and other churches. Residential schools were in all Canadian provinces except Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. The benefits of compensation excluded residential school survivals of Newfoundland and Labrador since Newfoundland was not a part of Canada when schools began operating. Last school was Gordon Indian Residential School that was closed in 1996 in Saskatchewan. There were 139 Indian Residential Schools that were identified by Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) and about 150 000 students were forced to attend the schools. IRSSA had five main components: Common Experience Payment – under IRSSA 1.9 billion was set aside for all residents of the schools. Every former student would receive $10,000 for the first year of school and $3,000 for each following year. Independent Assessment Process – 'In addition to common experience payment funds were issued for fro resolving physical, psychological and sexual abuse. '''Truth and Reconciliation Commission -' $60 million were set aside to Truth and Reconciliation Commission that would provide the opportunity for communities, families and individuals to share their experience in residential schools and after it. '''Commemoration – '''the main idea of the IRSSA was to honor the experiences of the former students and to acknowledge the impact of the residential schools. '''Health and Healing Services – '''the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program was established that helped the former students with health issues. On June 11 2008 Prime Minister Stephen Harper made an apology to former students of Residential Schools on behalf of Canada. Life at Residential Schools -Ran on a half-day system prior to the late 1950s (half in school, half at work). -Supposedly to enable the student learn skills that would earn them a living as adults -Children were called 'Christian names or numbers' instead of their actual names. -Schools were separated based on gender. -They were not allowed to speak their language. -Many children were physically, emotionally, psychologically and sexually abused. Psychological and emotional was a constant abuse through the day. Impatience and punishment led to excess amounts of physical abuse, being beaten, chained or isolated. Aspects that no human, let alone children should never endure. The response to claims of sexual abuse was inadequate. The police were seldom involved in such cases. - Students were taught by teacher who were underqualified with a curriculum that was deemed elementary in the Truth and reconciliation act, reflecting the fact that Europeans believed the Indigenous people were intellectually inferior. -The residential schools were severely underfunded, and as such led to the need for labor. Students had their hair cut off, which was not a regular traditional custom for the children, in fact it brought about a lot of hurt and confusion as such a custom was only practiced when mourning the loss of someone in the Assiniboine Indigenous culture. -They were forced to wear uniforms and follow strict time tables. -Many schools only taught for half the day and the other half the children were laboring for the school. With boys being were forced to train in farming and trade crafts, where girls were instructed for training in domestic services. Health: diseases and death Wide spread of tuberculosis and influenza, as dormitories were usually overcrowded and poorly ventilated. Infected children were not quarentiened Underfed and malnourished Used for nutritional experiments without their consents or the consents of their parents An estimated number of 6000 Indigenous children die in residential schools Some died as a result of diseases Some were frozen to death by trying to escape from the schools Others who could not bear the brutality of the schools committed suicide Government would not pay to have the bodies returned to their families, so the children were buried near the schools parents in distant reserves were never told what happened Long-term effects The lasting effects that residential schools had on those that were force to attented are widespread and intergenerational. Intergenerational trauma in this case is the continuation of historical opression and its deleterious consequences across generations. Theres effects manafest in various ways. The impacts of disupted attactments can be internalized individually as shame, fear of authority, anger, self-hatred, internalized racism, low self-esteem, isolation/alienation, and conversly acting agressively against others or exhibiting self-destructive behaviours such as substance abuse, gambling, alcohlism, and suicidal behaviours. In a familial setting effects can be experienced as a loss of traditions, loss of stories, loss of identity, difficulty with effective parenting, unresolved grief, and family violence. The impact that can be felt at a commuity level is a loss of connectedness with languages, traditions and cultural history, loss of togetherness and collective support, a lack of control over land and resouces, dependency on others, communal violence, and an increased rate of suicide. Many people were born into communities that had been struggling with these effects for a very long time. Today these impacts are futher reinforce by racist attitdues that continue to permiate Canadian society. Statistics '''Year's the Residential School's program operated: 1883-1996 Peak number of schools operating at the same time: 80, in 1931 Share of the schools operated by the Roman Catholic Church: up to 60 percent Total First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children placed in residential schools: '''more than150,000 '''Estimated number of residential schools student deaths: '''over 6,000, according to TRC chair Justice Murray Sinclair '''Odds of student dying over the life of the program: 1 in 25 (if 6,000) Residential schools destroyed by fire: '''53 '''Student deaths in school fires: at least 40 Former student'''s living as of 2015: 80,000 '''Odds of a residential school student dying in the early years of the program: 1 n 2 Compensation for sexual or serious sexual assults Claims resolved by the independent assessment process: 31,970 Claims in progress: 5,995 Total compensation paid: $2.8 billion as of 2015 April Significant people that influenced the epidemic of residential schools A lot of people and institutions influenced the negative effects on residential schools; institutions such as the church, including roman catholic church, Presbyterian church, United Church, Anglican church. the various staff were of these churches. It was largely staffed with unqualified or questionable individuals. Father Joeseph Hugonnard, was the principal in 1885. Reverend A.E. Caldwell said that "the problem with Indians is one of mortality and religion, they lack the basic fundamentals of civilized thought and spirit" degrading the Indians. the residential schools were packed with students, and was experiencing a widespread of disease due to over crowding and inadequate medical care. Dr Peter Bryce, chief medical officer for department of Indian affairs conducted surveys in residential schools in 1909. he said "i believe the conditions are being deliberately created in our residential schools to spread infectious diseases. it is not unusual for children who are dying from consumption to be admitted to schools and housed alongside healthy children". this means they were harboring healthy and un-healthy students today, giving them minimal health care and causing them to suffer. The government response to Dr. Peter Bryce's case was an alarming one, Indian superintendent, Duncan Scott wrote to a college saying "it is readily acknowledged that Indian children lose their natural resistance to illness by habituating so closely in these schools, and that they die at much higher rate than in their villages. but this alone does not justify a change in policy of this department, which is geared towards the final solution of our Indian problem". Clergyman Kevin Annett had a controversial report regarding that it was a standard practice in their schools to deliberately expose children to deadly and infectious diseases and then offer no medical treatment. imagining this is appalling to the mind, because it is a wicked act. it Kevin Annett's report he discusses Marian Macfalrene experience, a Caucasian staff member of Alberni school, in 1998, she told a forum about what she experienced in the residential schools of how she saw a matron beating up a 6 yr old girl with a piano leg, hurting this little girl made Marian act against the matron. this action was reported to the principal who then fired Marine, she concluded by saying "well that shows you what were dealing with :the lives of the Indian kids were completely expendable. they were considered less human, almost like a disease we had to get rid of. all these individuals at high positions or victims affected some outcome to students of residential schools Payments have been issued to survivors of residential schools regardless of how they have been treated,as an acknowledgment of the government having tried to eliminate their language and culture. The settlement calls for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The commission will include research, national and community events, individual testimony, and a permanent research center, as well as a mandate to enlighten the public about what occurred at these schools. There also will be a commemorative objective to the settlement: a fund to support proposals from Native communities. The communities can decide what sort of memorial is most appropriate for them and propose it to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which will recommend which proposals should be funded. And, to address the individual and multi-generational psychological and social impacts of residential schools, there is a provision for an ongoing healing process through the establishment of Aboriginal Healing Foundations. Photos and videos are a great way to add visuals to your wiki. Add one below! Category:Browse